


Someone Like You

by doylesmom



Series: Gift Fics [5]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Gift Fic, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:20:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22726783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doylesmom/pseuds/doylesmom
Summary: The concept of soulmates had always been odd to Byleth. The idea that there was one person you were destined for, one single human out there somewhere who was literally and physically the owner of the other half of your soul was baffling at best. She had pouted over it as a child, more than once. Why did she have to go around seeing nothing but blacks and whites and greys, just because the gods or the fates or the universe or who or whatever decided that she needed to have a perfect other half?
Relationships: My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan
Series: Gift Fics [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1554103
Comments: 17
Kudos: 254





	Someone Like You

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Valentines Day, Ki! I hope you enjoy.

The concept of soulmates had always been odd to Byleth. The idea that there was one person you were destined for, one single human out there somewhere who was literally and physically the owner of the other half of your soul was baffling at best. She had pouted over it as a child, more than once. Why did she have to go around seeing nothing but blacks and whites and greys, just because the gods or the fates or the universe or who or whatever decided that she needed to have a perfect other half?

Her father had laughed at her sentiment, mussing her hair as he explained to her that it wasn’t fair, no, but that finding your soulmate was unlike anything else in the world, and that she’d understand when she was older. He’d gotten that weary, far away look in his eyes when told her that, the one that told her that he was thinking of her mother.

Byleth wondered how it was possible that a system so cruel as soulmates could exist when it only seemed to hurt good people.

She swore, then, to never find her soulmate. And really, that wouldn’t be that hard- after all, Foldan was a relatively small country, in the grand scheme of things. And her soulmate could be anywhere in the entire world.

So she put all thoughts of soulmates and romances and that nonsense aside, determined to focus instead on more practical things, like swords and lances and bows and bartering. 

And then they had met the young trio of lords, that fateful morning in Remire Village. 

Something had shifted in her, then. And not just the sudden awakening of whoever was speaking to her in her head- a rather concerning occurrence, upon further consideration- but something else. Something deeper. Something that told her that her destiny lie down this path that they offered.

Byleth wondered, as she watched the three backs in front of her as they approached the intimidating stone walls of Garreg Mach, if they were leading her to her soulmate. 

* * *

  
Everything had gone so smoothly at first. 

Dimitri and Edelgard were good kids, yes, but something about both of them was, well, off, for a lack of better words. Perhaps it was not very becoming of a teacher- to ignore such warning signs- but Byleth was not a teacher, not really. She was a mercenary at heart. Always had been, always would be. And so she chose Claude and his Golden Deers. Claude was certainly hiding something too, but then, so were most people in these upper echelons of society. Whatever secrets he had tucked away behind a thousand watt smile and scheming eyes weren’t as dangerous, it seemed, as the ones boiling under the skin of the other two.

And, much like her, he didn’t seem as preoccupied with the others in the school with finding a soulmate.

So she chose his class, taught them what she knew. She showed them how to hold their weapons, how to strike a maiming blow versus a killing blow, how to plan and plot and lie and steal and spit and bite. How to survive against all odds.

And they learned. With each day, each trial and tribulation, each new foe and deeper, darker secret discovered at the monastery, her students learned and grew and became wiser, stronger, more battle hardened and scarred, and yet somehow kinder, more thoughtful, and gentler all the same.

She watched with pride as they learned to trust her, to trust each other, to trust themselves. As Hilda began to carry her own weight, as Marianne began to speak her mind, as Leonie learned to have fun, as Lysithea started to relax, as Ignatz stopped letting others speak for him, as Raphael began to show his true genius, as Lorenz slowly discovered that the world could differ from his perceived ideals of right and wrong and still be good and noble.

And then there was Claude. An enigma, that boy. Slowly, slowly, she had begun to pick apart his web of defenses and worm her way in. Slowly, slowly, he began to trust her, to tell her small truths rather than lie after falsehood after lie. Slowly, slowly, she began to see and know the real Claude. He was charming, yes, and a schemer at heart, but he was also hopeful, a dreamer. A young man on the brim of adulthood just trying to find his place in a very large, very dangerous world. A boy starved for kindness, affection, a place to belong.

Her first real friend.

She’s had almost-friends before. Playmates, acquaintances, allies. People she knew and could trust, relatively speaking. But not friends. Not like this.

And then he became the first of her friends. She had others now, too. Other teachers, some of the knights, her other students. It would be false of her to say that her life had been incomplete or empty before she had met them, but somehow they made her life brighter, fuller, bursting with a warmth she had never felt before but now couldn’t get enough of. But somehow, Claude was different. She wasn’t sure she could explain how. Perhaps it was because he was her first friend, her right hand on the battlefield.

Perhaps it was something else entirely.

Whatever the case, it was a feeling she cherished. One she fervently hoped would never change.

And then Rhea announced the White Heron Ball.

And then everything changed.

* * *

Hilda was the one to bring up the subject, naturally.

“Hey, Professor, have you found your soulmate yet?” 

It was early evening, the sun just beginning to sink below the horizon as classes came to an end that day. Her students were milling about in the room, working on various assignments for the day, studying, warming themselves by the fire place. Winter was quickly setting in, and the chilly air had deterred many from leaving to go visit other locations and halls as they normally would. Which meant, of course, that entirely too many people were now focused on Byleth as she looked up from the book she had been reading.

“No.” She said, as finally as she could, hoping to quash the conversation before it could begin. But Hilda was tenacious- or perhaps oblivious- and pushed forward anyways.

“Really? That’s so strange!” She gushed. “With how far you’ve traveled and all of the people you’ve seen, it’s a wonder you haven’t found them yet!” 

A few students murmured in agreement, more and more turning their attention to the conversation. Even the ever studious Lysithea looked up from her work, although it may have been in annoyance at the distraction.

Byleth sighed and closed her book, taking off her glasses to pinch at the bridge of her nose before responding.

“I will only say this once, and then I expect the conversation to be put to rest, am I understood?” She asked, shooting a pointed look at Hilda, who nodded eagerly and leaned forward in her chair, suddenly more focused than Byleth had ever seen her during class. 

“I am not interested in finding my soulmate. I live a dangerous life. All mercenaries do. You must live every day knowing fully that it could be your last. One wrong move, one missed step on the battlefield and you die. And where does that leave your soulmate? Alone. Forever. There is no moving on. There is no second chance. If your partner is not your soulmate and they die, you will suffer. You will grieve. But you can move on, if you so please. Love again, keep living your life. But if you lose your soulmate? That’s it. There is no moving on. You are forced to spend the rest of your life with the constant, painful reminder of what you have lost. I’m not sure how many of you know this, but when your soulmate dies, you lose your color vision. It’s physically painful, too. Incredibly so. I’ve seen men go mad from it. Seen them die of loneliness, or cut out their own eyes so they no longer have to see the world in black and white.”

Byleth sighed and leaned back in her chair, casting a glance to her enraptured audience. 

“For many of you, the idea of finding your soulmate is romantic, exciting even. For me? For mercenaries and soldiers and knights and thieves and assassins- those of us who spend our lives embroiled in and dedicated to combat? It’s dangerous. A distraction. One mistake and two lives are ruined. More, if you add in family and friends left to watch the suffering.” Briefly, her thoughts flashed to her father. She shook her head, chasing those memories away. “Not to mention, I have goals and dreams, just as much as anyone else in this room, and I cannot and will not allow myself to be distracted from them. After you meet your soulmate, it’s basically a one way ride to marriage, a family, settling down. That’s not the kind of life I’d like to live. Perhaps I’ll change my mind some day. Perhaps when I meet my soulmate they’ll be able to convince me to lay aside my ambitions for something else. But for now, I cherish my freedom, so wherever my soulmate is- here in Fodlan, or in some other nation- I hope I do not meet them any time soon.”

The room was silent after she finished speaking, her students taking time to absorb her words. Byleth bent her head back towards her book, desperately hoping her ears didn’t look as warm as they felt after speaking openly about such a sensitive topic. 

Slowly, her students began to filter out of the classroom, the heavy atmosphere finally driving them away, desperate to escape such heavy thoughts and serious talks. 

And then it was just her.

“Hey, Teach.”

Well, her and Claude.

She shut her book, eyes flicking up to the young man leaning against her desk.

“Heavy stuff, huh? All this soulmate talk.” He said, his casual nonchalance betrayed by the tightness around his mouth. “Although it’s good to know that I’m not the only one too invested in my goals to care much about all this romantic frivolity.”

“Is that so?” Byleth hummed.

“Oh, yeah.” Claude said, nodding rather nonchalantly. “The idea of binding myself through some mystical nonsense to someone I barely know, let alone trust? Not for me, thank you very much.”

“You say that like you trust anyone at all.” Byleth couldn’t help but point out teasingly. Claude made an affronted noise.

“I trust people!” He protested. Byleth leaned back in her seat, quirking an eyebrow at him.

“Oh really?” She asked. “Name three.”

Claude paused for a moment, deep in thought. Byleth wondered if his silence perhaps meant she had crossed a line. She shifted, readying herself to apologize, before Claude began to speak again.

“Well, there’s a member of the roundtable alliance- one of the heads. She’s my mom’s best friend. Obnoxious and insists on treating me like a child, but I trust her. And my old childhood instructor. Tough guy, but on the inside he’s just a big stuffed bear in pointy armor. I trust the two of them well enough.” He said slowly. 

“That’s two.” Byleth said to him softly. Claude huffed and pushed himself off of the desk, turning his back to her, taking a few steps towards the door before turning once more to look at her over his shoulder.

“I’d like to think I can trust you, too.” He said with a small wave, before all but running out of the room, leaving Byleth alone with her thoughts.

“I’d like to think the same, Claude.” She said to the empty room, her words echoing in the silence, both heavy with sincerity and light with fondness. Really, at the end of the day, who cared about soulmates and romance when you had allies, friends, people you could trust like these.

* * *

The night of the ball was actually quite normal, at first. Elegant music, tiny finger foods, Seteth looming over couples to ensure there was no ‘funny business’ happening, awkward teens and young adults sizing each other up like randy animals.

Apparently it was a special kind of luck to find one’s soulmate the night of the dance. Good fortune, happy marriage, 14 healthy children, and the like. Exciting words for most nobles. Personally, she wrinkled her nose at the insinuation that her future would only be blessed by Sothis if she happened to find her soulmate that night.

She watched as the song came to an end and couples bowed to each other, and new pairs were made. She did her best not to appear amused when a girl asked Dimitri to dance, and then visibly sagged upon realizing that they would not be holding skin bare hand to bare hand, due to his gloves. 

Hm, perhaps she should consider gloves? She pondered the merits of gloves as she watched her students spin around on the floor once more, Dimitri and Edelgard doing their best to appease and dance with as many as possible. Claude has disappeared after dancing a few rounds with Hilda, carefree and laughing. Where had he gone? Hilda has said something, a peculiar look had crossed his face, and then he had disappeared into the crowd. 

She hoped he wasn’t causing trouble. 

_ You know,  _ chimed in the incredibly unhelpful voice in her head,  _ most would hope their student wasn’t IN trouble. _

Byleth’s mouth quirked into the hint of a smile, for the briefest of moments. Claude could take care of himself, if he was in trouble. She had taught him well. He wasn’t her brightest student for nothing, after all.

_ Oho! That fond of him, are you? _

Of course she was. Sothis was well aware of this, what with that obnoxious omnipotence of hers.

_ Well, I’m certainly glad you like him so well. That will make this much easier. _

What did that mean? Byleth frowned, turning inwards to question the being inside of her, when movement caught her eye. She turned, and there came Claude, eyes twinkling and hand outstretched as he winked at her good naturedly. Byleth hadn’t danced yet that night. She was hesitant enough outside of situations like these to press her bare skin against another’s. 

But this was Claude- her friend. The least she could do was one dance. She nodded to him, her face softening with amusement as she reached for his own hand. He met her half way, their hands clasping with a flash of warmth and a shock that traveled from him to her, bright and powerful as a thousand suns shining upon her. 

And her world burst into color.


End file.
